I am sorry I haven't updated, it has been a rather rough ride. We left Sunday after church, and got here around 7:30. We were stuck in traffic from Berkley to San Francisco. It was a mess!! I hate San Francisco traffic!!!! Then we settled into the Family House, where we got a great room. What makes a room great at the FH is it's own bathroom! We are the only room on this floor with it's own bathroom. I don't know the situation on the other floors. Anyway, we went to the kitchen and made our dinner (remember, I packed food) and ate. Then we wound down before going to bed. We didn't have to wake up at the crack of dawn because David's surgery wasn't scheduled until 1:30. We had to be at the hospital at 11:30, and that is when we got there. None of us ate because David had to be NPO (nothing by mouth) since midnight Sunday night. So we were pretty hungry. David wasn't hungry because he was too nervous. They finally called us to the pre-op around 1:15 or so. They talked to us about pain management for David, so they suggested a nerve block. It involved placing an IV while he was awake and putting the nerve block catheter into his femoral nerve. He needed to be awake so they can know if it is in the right place. They check for the nerve by ultrasound, but he still had to be awake. Usually he goes to sleep by mask, and then they insert all IV's after he is asleep. Well, he agreed to the nerve block because they said it will work better than the epidural he usually gets. They gave him the 'Happy Medicine" (one nurse calls it the "brave medicine") once the IV was in, and he doesn't remember them placing the nerve block. I am glad about that! Then he was pretty loopy and funny! He kept falling asleep, and he said he wasn't even scared anymore! That made me happy! Well, he didn't go back to surgery until 3:30, so they had to give him more versed to take the fear away, again. He actually agreed to take it! Anyway, Dr. O said he will be coming to talk to us in 2 hours. So we left, went to the FH and made sandwiches. Then we went back to the hospital to wait. When 3 hours came and went we were getting a bit concerned. Dr. O called about 6:50 to say David was done and in the PACU. Everything went fine. Very little bleeding, no sign of infection, and David tolerated it well. We got to go to the PACU to see him about 8:00. He was in NO pain! First time! He often wakes up in pain; we decided that the nerve block was a great thing!! He got to his room around 9:00. It is a shared room, and he was by the door. Not acceptable. He has major depression issues when he is in a shared room, and he is by the door. Our roommates left today, so we moved him to the window. It isn't as ideal as a private room, but it is doable. We don't understand why people who are by the window always leave the blinds down. It makes the hospital room like a cold, depressing cave!! If you don't want to have the window blinds open, be by the door!! Anyway, things are a bit better now that he has been moved.
Today he got up and walked, twice. The first time he did it with the Physical Terrorist, and he did well. Then this afternoon the nerve block stopped working. He is on a dilaudid PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesic), but he won't push the button! He was for awhile, but then he said the dilaudid was making him nauseous and dizzy, so he doesn't want it anymore. The second walk was agony. He was crying and saying he didn't want to do it. His nurse brought in some oxycodone, and we waited for that to kick in before getting him up. He broke our hearts on the second walk. He didn't walk far at all, and he said, "I miss the lengthenings, they were easier. I miss walking normal, I forget what it is like to walk normal. I forget what it is like to run." No child should EVER feel that way. I HATE CANCER!! I am so tired of watching my baby in pain. I took for granted that children run and jump and play; my son can't do those things. But he is such a brave kid/young man. The things he has been through without complaining.....it's just not fair. Please pray that his pain can be controlled better. They did up the delivery on his nerve block, hopefully that will work better. They said they can up it even more if he needs it; we'll see. We were hoping to go home tomorrow, but I don't see that happening. He is in far too much pain to be able to sit for that long car ride home. Miracles happen every day, so we could get one, who knows?
Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to catch you up on what is happening. Please continue to pray for healing for him, and for better pain management. Thanks for checking in. Have a good evening. God bless you all. We love you.
Kristi and the Koury Klan
The only thing worse than being diagnosed with cancer is watching your child go through it.
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